Thrombolytic therapy is a term known generally to reference treatment procedures for individuals with ischemic diseases or other perfusion disorders. Many thrombolytic therapies comprise administering a clot lysis agent to affect the lysis of coagulated blood, i.e. blood clots. Various clot lysis agents and their associated therapeutic derivatives are known to be effective to stimulate the lysis of coagulated blood. Clot lysis agents known to enhance the lysis of coagulated blood include, but are not limited to, TNK-t-PA. tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), reteplase, streptokinase, heparin, coumadin, GIIb IIIa receptor blockers, and their therapeutic derivatives or mixtures. These agents are also known for use in reducing the risk of undesirable blood coagulation in individuals having a tendency or risk of excessive blood clotting.
For example, the administration of a clot lysis agent such as t-PA within several hours following a stroke is useful in the lysis of blood clots for an individual suffering from an ischemic disease, such as ischemic stroke. t-PA and/or other clot lysis agents may also be administered to reduce the risk of undesirable blood clotting, for example during angiographic catheter procedures.
As undesirable blood coagulation can occur in connection with a number of different conditions, for example, angina, acute stroke, acute myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial occlusion, pulmonary embolism, and venous thrombosis, there is a continuing need to advance and improve current therapeutic treatments in both prophylactic and interventional therapies.